Why is my orchid drying buds: 9 reasons why orchids lose buds and flowers

Hi, guys! Everything is perfect in the orchid. This plant has beautiful leaves and even roots. However, many growers cultivate this miracle of nature in order to admire its magical flowers. For months we water, fertilize and transplant our green treasures. And finally, the long-awaited buds appear on them. We count the days until the first flower blooms. But suddenly the buds begin to fall off. Is this situation familiar to you? Unfortunately, bud loss is often seen in indoor orchids. Today I'd like to tell you about Why is my orchid drying buds. We will discuss with you 9 common reasons why orchids lose buds and flowers. (I'll also show you photos of my Phalaenopsises, Dendrobium Nobile and Howeara).

 

Why is a orchid drying buds

 

1. Dry air.

 

The most elementary: green "butterflies" lose their juices because they do not have enough moisture. Most often this happens due to dry indoor air. In order for the buds to bloom, it is necessary to increase the humidity in the atmosphere. 

 

Get humidifiers, spray the area around the orchids, stir the flowers as far away from them as possible during the heating systems.

 

My Dendrobium

 

 

2. Lack of light. 

 

Most often, orchids shed their buds in late autumn and winter, when insolation is reduced. In order to observe a flower garden on the windowsill, during this period, your favourite Phalaenopsis and other orchids must be illuminated.

3. Lack of fertilizer. 

 

Flowering is a test for every houseplant. The plant needs a lot of energy to bear this burden. If the inhabitant of the flowerpot is weakened, he can drop and dry out what hinders him. That is, he can drop the buds. This also applies to royal orchids. This is why Phalaenopsis and Dendrobiums need to be fed regularly with orchid fertilizer.

 

My Phalaenopsis

 

4. Drafts.

 

Our greenhouse creatures can't stand them. From gusts of icy wind, these sissies can die. Therefore, home orchids should be protected from drafts.

5. Stuffiness.

 

But there is a diametrically opposite reason — the lack of air flow. In fact, orchids need a breath of wind. But wind must be warm. Avid orchidists blow their green collections with a fan.

6. Hypothermia.

 

In winter, the orchid touches of the cold window glass, blows on it from the cracks of the window sill. All this can be fatal for your plant. And, of course, you will not wait for flowers from her. She would survive in such harsh conditions! In the autumn-winter season, carefully choose a location for this majestic person.

 

My Howeara

 

 

Another reason for hypothermia is when, after watering with warm water, a representative of the orchid family is immediately placed on the window. Even if nothing blows on the flower, it can react to temperature differences. After I take out my Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium and Howeara from the container in winter, I let them settle in a warm place. And only after a few often I put them back on the windowsill.

 

7. Too young plant.

 

Orchid keiki can dry the buds, because she still does not have enough strength to bloom. In this case, do not rush things — let your treasure grow up.

 

My Phalaenopsis Manhattan

 

8. Plant pests.

Another reason for the loss of buds is the appearance of insects on the orchid. Sometimes from the outside it's so easy to find out. This is especially true of such the smallest dirty trick as thrips. They are practically invisible. Especially on cloudy winter and autumn days, when the lighting is weak. And these hordes suck the juices of our green friends to the fullest. 

 

If you find plant pests on your favourite orchid, start pest control. I personally use special pest control sticks. These sticks need to be inserted directly into the soil for orchids.

9. Irrigation deficit.

 

And finally, last but not least, the reason is the lack of watering. Of course, orchids do not require frequent irrigation. But still, these plants should not be left without water. As a rule, I personally water my Phalaenopsis and other orchids once a week.

 

Here are the main reasons why orchids can dry buds and flowers.

 

Have you encountered such a problem? How did you save your flower? Tell us about it in the comments. Your opinion is very important to me.

How to plant a vanilla orchid

Do you like scent of vanilla? Do you want to grow this spice on your windowsill? I've told you about a simple method of a vanilla vine rooting in one of my post. As you might guess, this amazing vine is one of my favorite houseplants. Today I'd like to tell you about how to plant a vanilla orchid. 

Vanilla planifolia variegata

I planted my Vanilla planifolia variegata cutting last year. And I want to share with you my own experience of "transfer" a rooted vanilla cutting.


Step 1. Choose the flowerpot. We may plant the vine in a pottery pot, in a plastic pot or in a special orchids basket. I've chosen last item. The basket is good for a vanilla orchid because the roots breathe in this "house". However it isn't good for cleanness of the room because the soil may fall through basket's holes. I think that a pottery pot is suitable for a vanilla vine as well. Also some of plant lovers use a coco shell as an orchid pot. 

A plastic orchids basket

Step 2. Prepare the soil. A suitable soil for V.planifolia is chunks of bark, a coco coir or coco chips. One of advanced orchid lovers recommends to use a "coco soil". I use a coco coir for planting my vanilla orchid.

A vanilla orchid needs a support

You have to wet the soil before using. As you remember, we've told about planting a vanilla orchid. If you want to transplant the flower you should not wet the soil.

Step 3. Take the soil to the pot. 

Step 4. Plant the orchid. We should earth only the roots. Please, don't deep the stem. 

The plant needs a support. It may be a bamboo stick, a plastik stick or even a pen.

My vanilla orchid in the "mini hothouse"

Step 5. Make a mini hothouse. Vanilla planifolia needs period of adaptation after the planting. You ought to locate the plant in a mini hothouse. Take out the plant from the hothouse for a short while in order that the orchid may breathe air.


I use a plastic bag. I had located my vanilla vine in the bag after the planting. I had been keeping my vanilla orchid in the mini hothouse for 2 weeks and then I located it on my windowsill without the plastic bag.

How to use a coco coir

Plant lovers often use a coco coir (a coco peat) for planting, seeding and even rooting their green "phyto-friends". This product of a coconut is an excellent soil for sprouting seeds and rooting cuttings. The coir is water-permeable and loose. We can buy coco bricks or coco tablets. Today I would like to tell you about how to use a coco coir.

A coco coir

1. Take your coco brick or tablet and deep it in a vessel of water. If your coco peat is a tablet you may use a small plastic glass. My coco coir is bigger than a pill:

A coco peat takes a bath :)

 "Snip, snap, snurre...":

A "coco soil"

You will get a soft soil instead of a hard brick in a few minutes. Now this coco peat is ready for usage and you may plant your lovely flower. I planted my vanilla orchid in a "coconut" yesterday:

A vanilla orchid in a coco coir

Orchid lovers say that it is a perfect soil for a vanilla vine.


Also you can mix a coco coir with an another soil (for example, to mix with a humus).

How to root a vanilla orchid: Let's grow Vanilla planifolia from cuttings

Vanilla planifolia (a vanilla orchid) is an amazing tropical vine with big fragrant flowers. We can grow this gorgeous plant indoor. Even we can get vanilla gardens on our windowsills. Vanilla planifolia propagate from cuttings. Today I'm going to tell you about how to root a vanilla orchid.

A Vanilla planifolia variegata's cutting with a root. It's ready for planting.

Experts recommend to root the plant in a soil. We should make a mini hothouse and locate a green friend there. But this way isn't easy for amateurs. Unfortunately, we can make a mistake and a cutting will rot. However one of plant lovers told me about a simple method of a vanilla orchid rooting. It's rooting in vessel of water. In this case you need water, a glass and patience.

1. Take a glass of boiled water and deep a cutting there. (You may use even a plastic glass). Attention!  Only a part of the stem can be in the fluid. The leaves should not be in water or else a vanilla orchid may rot. 

Vanilla planifolia variegata

2. Locate it at a light place.

3. Add water to the glass from time to time.

4. Wait for a root. 

A root doesn't rot.

That's all!

It's very easy, indeed.

When a root grows to 1,5-2 inches (4-5 centimeters) you may plant out the orchid. My consultant recommends to use coco coir.

P.S. I got my small vanilla orchid's cutting 3 months ago. (It is lovely Vanilla planifolia variegata with variegated leaves). The plant had no roots. I've kept my "phyto-pet" in a plastic glass of water. True, the top became black in the month before last. 


I cut a bad part of stem. Lately my Vanilla planifolia variegata feels fine. The cutting has a good "white tail" and ready for planting.